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119-s-2526119th Congress

Fight for the American Dream Act

Sponsored By: Senator Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would open enlistment and citizenship paths for certain noncitizens. It would let people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals employment authorization enlist in the U.S. armed forces and would modernize how noncitizen service members can gain U.S. citizenship through Selected Reserve or active-duty service.

Show full summary
  • Families and noncitizen recruits: People who hold an employment authorization document under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals would become eligible to enlist, creating a new route into military service for those beneficiaries.
  • Service members seeking citizenship: The bill would rewrite and merge the military naturalization rules to clarify eligibility for naturalization through service in the Selected Reserve or while on active status. It updates geographic reach to include American Samoa, Swains Island, and the freely associated States and uses gender-neutral language.
  • Military administration and recruitment: The bill would change statutory headings and cross-references and align definitions of “active status” to simplify how the armed forces determine eligibility and process naturalization claims.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

DACA work permit allows enlistment

If enacted, you could enlist in a U.S. armed force if you have a work permit from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The permit must exist at the time you enlist. This would add DACA employment authorization as an exception to the usual citizenship or residency enlistment rule.

Changes to military naturalization rules

If enacted, the bill would repeal one existing military naturalization pathway and rewrite the other. It would remove INA section 328 and expand and retitle section 329 to cover service in active status and the Selected Reserve, and add American Samoa, Swains Island, and certain freely associated states. This could make citizenship easier for some service members but would eliminate the old section 328 route for others.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

AZ • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 7/29/2025

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 7/30/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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